"Yes very answered Helen, drawing her silk shawl over her shoulders as a slight breeze blew across the garden. "Had you a good garden where you lived before?" enquired Lawrence, unconsiously leading up to his proposal. "At Cannon Street there was only a yard replied Helen, a painful blush mounting to her face, "but at Kenelham we had a sweet little garden, my poor dear father took the greatest interest in his flowers and so did I" she added with a slight catch in her harmonious voice. "Dont you now?" asked Lawrence. "Oh yes" said Helen, "but you see, it is all so different now; in those days my father and I were constant companions and our opinions were one. But now there is nobody--nobody" and tears began to well up in her eyes and fall over her long black lashes. "Surely somebody cares for you Miss Winston, surely there is someone to sympathise with you" interupted Lawrence. "Oh Mr. Lincarrol you dont understand" cried Helen with a sob. "I think I do" replied Lawrence gently, coming a little closer and taking her trembling hand. I think I understand your feelings, it must be very sad to be so--so lonely." "Wait till your turn comes Mr. Lincarrol and you will know then" replied Helen. "Would it be different, to have some one to care for you, to love you as your father did?" asked Lawrence. "Oh it would, it would" cried Helen rapturesly clasping her hands together. "suppose some one loved you now as much if not more than your father, what would you say?" asked Lawrence. "I could not belive it" replied Helen promptly unless "unless" she added, "I knew the person very well and was quite posative of the love, and had good proofs of it." "Have you not proofs enough?" asked Lawrence. "Of what?" asked Helen. "Of my love for you" replied Lawrence. "Your love!?" gasped Helen. "Yes" repeated Lawrence passionately, "oh Helen I can no longer restrain my feelings, I love you as I never before loved anyone, can I hope, can I dare to hope that you return my love?" Helen did not answer. She was thinking of another proposal some months past, so very unlike this one, far away on the Kenelham hill tops, and she remembered how she had acted then. Once more, she felt the soft sea breeze fan her face, she saw the hills and the distant sea and she saw oh how plainly Cyrils form by her side, she heard his words and her own replies, she saw his blue eyes looking so intently at her; and then awaking to the present she saw another pair of blue eyes looking at her, speaking so much more fervently than the others and she felt the clasp of a strong hand on her own and then raising her head she looked at Lawrence and softly whispered "yes." "Oh Helen" cried Lawrence "you make me so happy, so very happy! Tears of joy dimmed Helen's eyes and Lawrence taking her hand drew her head on to his breast and told her gently of his great love for her and how happy they both would be. And Helen listenned feeling the happiness had already begun.